


Fear The Heat Or Bask In It

by ImogenSmiley



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Burning Rescue - Freeform, Domestic Bliss, Lio Fotia Joins Burning Rescue, Living Together, M/M, Mentioned Guera x Meis, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Life, Starting Anew, burning rescue Lio, domestic life, new life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:21:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27434986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImogenSmiley/pseuds/ImogenSmiley
Summary: The first time Lio Fotia felt that reminiscent flare of pain, pure heat energy, was when he was cooking fried eggs.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	Fear The Heat Or Bask In It

The first time Lio Fotia felt that reminiscent flare of pain, pure heat energy, was when he was cooking fried eggs. He was staying with Galo, it had started as a temporary arrangement, just until a place of residence could be built for the sudden influx of former refugees from all around the world with capabilities, that would have, once made them Burnish.

The thing was, months after the former Burnish population had moved into the new estates that had been built to provide them permanent residence, something some had never seen in their lifetimes, Lio Fotia remained in Galo Thymos’ home.

It wasn’t uncommon for the Burnish to couple up, for safety and protection on the run, doing anything in a pair was, generally, safer than going at it alone. That was the first thing that Lio had learned after joining the Mad Burnish. Guera and Meis were the prime examples of that, so comfortable together, like two parts of the same entity, seeing one without the other was bizarre. Of course, that was partially due to their occupation, and due to them being married, but that was beside the point. The Burnish didn’t discriminate like that. When you’re already being oppressed for something out of your control, why break down a small population even more to cause infighting? No, the Burnish were accepting of anyone and everyone, if you were a Burnish it didn’t matter. You could have tried to fight back just moments before, but if you combusted, you were taken in. There was always safety in numbers.

Most of the Burnish were in the process of re-assimilating into “normal” life, going back to school, building routines. Some went into public services, like Lio, who was quick to “pay back his debt to society” as Galo had said, and joined Burning Rescue. After all, being so accustomed to fire, meant that the team didn’t need to be afraid of Lio crumbling under the pressure of being surrounded by flames.

But, of course, when at work, you have protection, you have a jacket to keep you covered up when you’re rescuing people from the flames. The same could not be said for cooking eggs when searing oil spat from the center of the pan toward his arm and burned his skin. He had cursed, dropping his spatula onto the tiled floor, squeezing his hand as he blew on his bright red skin.

Galo had, much to Lio’s frustration, laughed in his face.

The second time Lio burned himself was changing a recently blown lightbulb. Galo had, valiantly, hoisted the shorter man onto his shoulders to let him remove the bulb that had blown just moments before, but touching the scalding glass made his fingertips blister in anguish. In shock at the sensation, having barely unscrewed the bulb, Lio dropped it onto the hardwood floor and watched it shatter just inches from Galo’s bare feet.

Both men had hissed, skittering backward away from the shards of broken glass. Lio had retreated to the firm sofa bed, that they rarely reversed anymore. He retreated far from the shards, hiding his swollen fingers beneath his quilt, Lio winced. He had forgotten how much heat could hurt. He hadn’t been sunburned since he was ten, he’d never had to deal with being too hot, because his body was regulated by the temperature of the promare. Everything was a new sensation, and he’d forgotten what it was like to need to be careful. He crossed his arms and glared at what remained of the lightbulb.

“This sucks,” he’d muttered under his breath.

“You okay, Lio?” Galo asked, carefully picking the shards of glass from the bristles of his sweeping brush.

The mint haired man winced, narrowing his eyes, “Yeah, it just, it hurt…”

“Of course it hurt, that bulb must have been real' hot, I’m sorry I didn’t even think of letting it cool down before we tried to take it out-”

“Galo,” Lio said, cutting him off, “It hurt.”

“And? Of course it would it’s hot… Oh.”

Lio nodded, lowering his head, “It’s weird, you know, like I know we saved the world and all, and I know that the Burnish are getting to lead normal lives again, but there are so many symptoms.”

“Could you not feel pain before?”

“Well of course I could, when we’d throw ourselves into nettles to evade neighborhood watch and Freeze Force, that would hurt, but…”

Galo nodded, setting the broom down and sitting beside Lio on the bed. He watched the shorter man exhale and run a hand through his hair, wincing at the sensation on his throbbing scarlet fingers.

“I guess… It’s weird to feel heat that hurts. I know you’re supposed to recoil when you touch something hot, but I spent twenty-four hours in a volcano, Galo. Heat never used to hurt.”

Galo hummed, pressing his lips into a fine line. He leaned back, sinking into the hard springs of the mattress, “I don’t know how that must feel, but I know when I get spat on by eggs, or when ash goes down my collar on the job, that hurts. It’s okay for it to hurt. It’s human nature to feel pain.”

Lio wrinkled his nose, a ghost of a smile creeping onto his face, “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m your idiot,” Galo replied confidently, puffing out his chest. He paused, turning to face Lio, who gaped back at him, “Right? Or have I completely misread absolutely everything?”

“Galo, you idiot.” Lio said, leaning closer to him. Despite his sore hand, he shuffled closer to the taller of the pair, lacing his good hand into his. He smiled up at Galo, hopeful. He didn’t tense, or shuffle away, instead, he leaned into Lio’s touch too.

“You’re warm…” Lio mumbled, adjusting his position on the sofa-bed.

“H-Hey! Lio! Don’t you fall asleep on me! We still need to change the lightbulb!”


End file.
